


Singles Will be Paired

by TearStainedAshes



Series: It's a Sign [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Human, Amusement Parks, Background North/Tina, Bisexual Gavin Reed, Gay Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Lesbian North (Detroit: Become Human), M/M, Protective North (Detroit: Become Human), Supportive North (Detroit: Become Human), Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Twink Connor (Detroit: Become Human), this is literally just fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2019-12-25 13:07:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18261911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TearStainedAshes/pseuds/TearStainedAshes
Summary: Connor hates being the odd man out at theme parks because he's forced to sit next to the weirdest or smelliest people on rides. Except for when his luck finally turns around and he's paired up with the hottest guy he's ever seen.





	Singles Will be Paired

**Author's Note:**

> I dedicate this to all the wonderful people in the [Convin discord chat](https://discordapp.com/channels/475904821053095967/476188115862683649). You guys make me smile every day and your encouragement and enthusiasm means so much.
> 
> So, when I saw [this](https://enchantedbyhiddles.tumblr.com/image/183740404271) on tumblr I just couldn't resist making it. The plot bunnies would not allow me to stop until it was done. And even though I've been working on this for over two weeks, the bunnies just kept coming.
> 
> Also, this was just supposed to be a simple, fluffy one-shot. 9k words later and I've written a freakin' novellette. I hope y'all enjoy the College AU Convin fluff.

The bi-annual trip to Cedar Point was something the Jericho Crew always looked forward to. The Halloweekend trip sponsored by the university was fun and all, but the one they took during the summer before classes started was by far their favorite. And now that a couple of new rides had premiered they were even more excited to test them out.

“Come on! Let’s go!” North cried, grabbing Josh’s hand and dragging him into the line for the Gatekeeper. She had insisted it be the first they ride for the day. It was right at the entrance for Christ’s sake. The park was just begging them to ride it. The line, of course, was ridiculously long. It was already almost an hour wait, and the park had only just opened for the day. Connor had wanted to spend the entire day at the park, and no one had protested. They had spent the night in an Airbnb and were staying for a few days to give them all a chance to recuperate from the rides.

“Look!” North pointed to a sign once they were further in and shrieked in laughter. “Con! Take my picture with it!”

“North, oh my god,” he groaned, but he pulled his phone out nevertheless. She leaned on the railing and pointed at the sign, her face posed in over-exaggerated shock and unabashed joy.

“It was made for you!” she said after he’d snapped a few photos. “Send me those. I’m gonna post them on Twitter.”

“Give me photographer creds at least,” he said as he sent a few over to her through the cloud.

“This sign was fucking made for you, Con,” she said again, grinning at her phone as she typed out her tweet. “We’ll find you a boyfriend for sure.”

“North,” Markus groaned, rolling his eyes. “Come on. Lighten up, OK?”

“It’s fine, Markus,” Connor said, eyeing the sign again. It had been painted to look like a cautionary sign, so it was hard to miss, even in the shade of the plants. “Singles Will Be Paired” was painted on it in big, bold, white letters. With his luck he’d get sat next to a total creep or someone who refused to shower because they wanted to “smell like a man” or some bullshit excuse for poor personal hygiene.

“You can sit by me, Con,” Josh offered. “Since we all know Markus and Simon can’t be separated. We’ll make North be the unlucky single if you want.”

“Thanks, Josh, but I’m fine. Really.” He tried to smile before looking down at his phone, the notification for North’s tweet distracting him.

“That amazing moment when the theme park plays matchmaker. 📷: **@conman800** **#CedarPoint #JerichoSquad #getconnoraboyfriend2k25** ”

Connor sighed and pocketed his phone. North’s Twitter made it seem like he had been single his entire life. Sure, he’d been single since he’d known her, but that didn’t make him a blushing virgin. She certainly seemed to think so given her teasing, but he knew she didn’t actually mean anything by it. He just wished her Twitter following hadn’t taken to it quite so keenly. He looked over at Markus and Simon out of the corner of his eye, sighing at the sight of them. They were so in love, and he wanted something like that for himself. But all the guys he liked ended up being assholes who only wanted him for sex. He was so glad he’d finally gotten the courage to delete Tinder, because all it did was reaffirm that men were fucking jerks no matter their sexual orientation.

The line slowly shuffled forward, North getting more and more excited about who Connor could possibly be paired with. She was looking at anyone and everyone in their general vicinity, hoping she would find Connor his perfect match. It was starting to get annoying, and they weren’t even on the first ride yet. Connor sighed and leaned against the railing, resting his chin in his palm. His gaze caught a young woman’s who smiled at him, elbowing her friend in the ribs. Connor couldn’t help but notice he was wearing jeans in the middle of August and had a plaid shirt tied around his waist. The guy laughed and turned around to see what was up, shooting him a soft smile before teasing his friend in return. He hadn’t really gotten a good look at the guy, but he had had quite a nice smile.

They finally reached the ride and North shot up to sit in the front, Josh close behind. Connor opted to sit in the middle with Simon and Markus. Simon took their loose belongings and stowed them in the crates provided, Connor blinking against the sunlight as he adjusted without his sunglasses. He stood off to the side, awkwardly shuffling his feet while he waited for someone to approach to be his seat partner. Markus gave him a hopeful thumbs up, smiling at him encouragingly. Connor watched as everyone else got strapped in, sighing in defeat when it looked like he wouldn’t be paired up with someone after all.

“Is this seat taken?” a voice asked from behind. He turned around and his jaw nearly hit the floor. The most gorgeous man he had ever seen was standing in front of him, short dark curls falling over his forehead, which he brushed away to reveal the most amazing green eyes. Connor gulped and gripped his right bicep tightly in his left hand. It was the guy from earlier, the one whose friend had elbowed him. The one with the amazing smile. He dug his nails into the skin as he took in the guy in front of him, watching as he not-so-subtly flexed as he crossed his arms over his chest, which was barely contained in a tight green t-shirt that really brought out his eyes.

“N-no. No,” he stammered, squeezing his arm hard to keep from chuckling like a fucking maniacal idiot.

“Cool. Cuz my friends got to their seats first, making me the odd man out.” The guy laughed and waved at his friends, who were a row behind them. The two smiled and waved, legs already swinging wildly in excitement as they strapped themselves into their seats.

“Which one do you want?” the guy asked, gesturing to the two seats. Connor had to force himself to look up at his face, taking in the scar across his nose. Fuck, that was hot. To see he’d been in some sort of a fight and come out victorious? Connor swallowed and felt his cheeks heat slightly as he mapped it out, tracing the line across his nose and over his cheek. It wasn’t as prominent there as it was on his nose, but he could tell there was a bit of skin slightly paler than the rest that ended just into his jawline. It was then that he remembered he wasn't wearing his sunglasses anymore, which meant the guy saw him obviously mapping out his scar as he stared at his face. He sucked in a breath and caught the guy’s gaze, blushing violently.

“I don’t care,” he managed to say after a moment. “Either one is fine.”

“Cool.” The guy grinned and walked past Connor, ducking down to avoid the chair arms as he took the outside seat. Connor swallowed and finally moved to sit on the inside, releasing his arm and feeling the blood rush to his fingers. He could feel the guy’s eyes on him as he shuffled by, now almost regretting the shorts he’d worn to the park. Were they too revealing? Was his white button-up too see-through? He gulped, hoping the guy didn’t notice the blush he could feel crawling down his neck. They finally got themselves strapped in, an attendant coming by to double check everything was secure.

“I’m Gavin,” the guy said, holding his right hand out between their seats for Connor to shake.

“Connor,” he said, awkwardly taking Gavin’s calloused hand in his left and shaking it, maybe even holding it a little too tightly. “Guitar?”

“Huh?” He looked at him quizzically, but he never pulled his hand away.

“The calluses on your fingers.” Connor gently turned his hand over for him to see. “They’re from playing guitar, right?”

“Oh! Oh, yeah!” Gavin laughed and it made Connor’s stomach flutter. “Yeah. Just a hobby though.”

“You any good?”

“I like to think so.”

“And a lefty?” Connor asked, biting his lip.

“Ambidextrous,” Gavin answered with a wink.

The car finally lurched forward, travelling down the track and up the first hill. How had Connor missed the gatekeeper’s overly peppy safety speech? Had he been focused on Gavin that much? He instinctively held onto Gavin’s hand as the cars started to climb up higher and higher. He heard him chuckle over the roar of the wind in his ears and looked over. Gavin was smiling at him, and fuck if it wasn’t the most dazzling thing he’d ever seen.

“Scared?” he asked, squeezing Connor’s hand tighter.

“Hell no!” he shouted over the wind. “I live for this shit!”

“Good!”

They both screamed as the coaster finally took off down the first hill, holding tight to the other’s hand. Connor whooped and thrust his hands out, still holding onto Gavin’s. Gavin hollered too, throwing his hands into the air and kicking his legs out as far as the g-forces would allow him. Connor couldn’t believe his luck at being paired up with such a fun guy. And a good looking one at that. Maybe the day wouldn’t be so bad after all.

The ride finally pulled back into the station, Connor feeling giddy and excited for the rest of the day. It had been a smart decision to ride Gatekeeper first, especially now that he’d met Gavin. He grinned over at him and squeezed his hand before turning to look at Markus. He and Simon were also holding hands and gave him enthusiastic thumbs ups when they caught his eye. The floor was finally raised so they could get off, the attendants coming around to unlatch their safety straps. Connor regretfully let go of Gavin’s hand and hopped off, immediately ducking under the ride to get to Simon and Markus.

“Guys!” he whispered as they gathered their stuff. “I hit the fucking jackpot!”

“I noticed,” Simon whispered back, passing him his sunglasses.

“Don’t lose him!” Markus said, nudging Connor to look back at Gavin and his friends. He flushed and waved, beckoning them over. Gavin grinned and turned back to his friends, pointing at them.

“Oh my god, you guyssssssss!” North screamed when she met up with them. She was clutching Josh’s arm and jumping up and down, her braid swaying behind her. “That was fucking nuts!”

“It was,” Gavin agreed, walking up to join them, his friends close behind. North immediately stopped hopping, her grip loosening on Josh’s arm. Connor felt an immediate surge of completely illogical jealousy, his hand squeezing his bicep out of reflex. It wasn’t until Gavin was right beside him that he finally relaxed, callused yet soft fingers tracing against his wrist.

“Guys, this is Gavin,” Connor said, introducing the rest of the group to him. “He was the guy I was paired with for the ride.”

“And this is Connor,” Gavin said to his two friends. “Connor, this is Tina and Chris.”

“Hi, Connor,” Tina said, waving excitedly at him.

“Hi,” he replied with a smile. He waved them all out as he turned to leave through the exit, feeling Gavin’s fingers brush against his own as they walked alongside each other.

“This OK?” Gavin asked softly, catching Connor’s eye. Connor blushed and nodded, looking down at his shoes as they walked down the path. He linked his pinky with Gavin’s briefly before letting go, not wanting to push things too far too fast. It wasn’t until they were almost at the gift shops that he remembered he still had to introduce his own friends.

“Oh! This is the Jericho Crew, by the way,” he said, gesturing to each in turn. “North, Josh, Simon, and Markus.”

“Hello,” Simon and Markus said in unison, making each other laugh.

“They’re basically always in sync,” North explained, rolling her eyes.

“Why ‘Jericho?’” Chris asked, walking alongside her. North eyed him as he followed her, stepping away a bit for space.

“It’s the name of the café where we met,” she explained. “We all had a bit of a meet-cute and stuck together.” She eyed Simon and Markus as she said, “Some a bit more than others.”

Connor snickered, hiding his smile behind his hand. He felt Gavin's fingers brush against his wrist again, making him blush. He gripped his bicep again and squeezed, not wanting to make a fool of himself.

“Wait,” Tina said after a moment. “You mean the Jericho café in Ann Arbor? The one that looks like an old freighter on the inside?”

“You know it?” North turned and started walking backward to look at Tina.

“Yeah! It’s a fucking gem!” She hopped excitedly and moved forward so she was beside North. “And it’s almost never busy cuz the tourists would rather stick to fuckin’ Starbucks!”

“So you guys are from Ann Arbor, too?” Josh asked, shooting Connor a sly wink.

“Yeah. We go to school up there,” Chris said. “What about you guys?”

“Seniors!” Markus announced proudly.

“And juniors,” Connor added softly, running a hand through his hair.

“Con’s the baby,” North cooed, reaching out to pinch his cheek. He gently swatted her hand away, glancing at Gavin to gauge his reaction. “Markus is our dad since he’s the oldest.”

Gavin laughed and nodded. “Yeah, I feel that. Chris is the baby of our group at barely 16. And Tina is almost 20. I’m the dad at 22.”

“Technically he’s only a couple months shy of 23,” Tina supplied.

“Wait. Why the fuck are you hanging out with a not-quite-sixteen-year-old?” North asked bluntly, eyeing Chris suspiciously.

“Cuz our parents work together,” Chris said proudly. “We grew up together, so they trust him to watch out for me.”

“Yeah, so don’t get any ideas or I’ll knock your block off,” Gavin teased, putting his fists up and bouncing around like a boxer for a moment.

“I’d love to see you try,” North said in all seriousness. Gavin laughed and lowered his fists, shaking his head.

“Let’s go on the Raptor next,” Simon suggested to break the tension in the groups.

“Ooo, fuck yeah!” Chris shouted, rushing forward to get in line. Gavin rolled his eyes and chased after him. North turned to Connor and grinned, grabbing his hand as they walked toward the line.

“I fucking told you,” she whispered, shaking his arm in her excitement. “The sign was a fucking sign!”

“We don’t know that for sure yet,” Connor mumbled, looking down at his shoes. “What if he already has a boyfriend? What if he doesn't even like men? That would be my fucking luck.” He sighed dejectedly but North’s grip on his arm made him look back at her.

“Only one way to find out.” She winked before sprinting off to join the others, leaving Connor to bring up the rear.

He tried to stand close to Gavin, but he didn’t want to get too close just in case. The guy probably had a girlfriend, or a boyfriend if his earlier ambidextrous comment was meant to be interpreted as him being bisexual. Connor didn’t want to be heartbroken yet again at the thought of finding someone great, only for them to be a complete asshole looking for a fling.

The two groups chatted amicably with each other while they waited in line. The Raptor was still busy, but not nearly as busy as Gatekeeper. The line was only a half hour wait so far, which meant less time spent awkwardly brushing against Gavin’s hand or wrist or shoulder. When they were almost at the front of the line North suddenly groaned loudly, clutching her phone in one hand and covering her face with the other.

“Dead battery?” Connor asked, wincing in sympathy.

“Worse,” she whined. “Ex-boyfriend.”

“Huh?” He cocked his head to the side and frowned. North didn’t date men. What the fuck was she on about? He looked to Markus for confirmation that he was hearing her correctly, but all he got back was a sly wink. Oh. Oh no. He swallowed and stood back, crossing his arms over his chest as he tried to sink into the barrier.

“He’s fucking subtweeting about me again,” she groaned, her hand sliding down her face and landing at her side.

“Ugh, the worst,” Gavin grunted in sympathy.

“It really is,” North agreed.

“Yeah, I don’t miss that,” Gavin huffed, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

“You’ve had a couple crazy ex-boyfriends in your life then?” North asked, tucking her phone away to ignore her “ex’s” tweets.

“Yeah.” He sniffed and shrugged. “And some ex-girlfriends, too,” he added. “But no one for a while now.”

“God, you’re lucky,” North sighed, gently poking her foot against Connor’s. He blushed and squeezed his arm again, trying not to get too excited. So Gavin was attracted to men and he didn’t have a boyfriend. OK. Cool. That was good. But it didn’t mean he was looking for someone.

They broke up into groups of four as they approached the head of the line. North and Josh paired off with Tina and Chris while Simon and Markus paired with Connor and Gavin. They all went for the front row that time, the four guys right up front with the others just behind. Connor got himself strapped in, sitting with Markus on his right and Gavin on his left. He swung his legs a little while they waited for the other riders to be secured, his left hand resting on his thigh while the other gripped the safety bar by his head. He wasn’t sure if Gavin would even want to hold his hand again after the first ride. What if it was a fluke? What if he was just being nice and hadn’t wanted to hurt Connor’s feelings by pulling away?

He was brought out of his thoughts when he felt Gavin’s hand rest over his own, his breath hitching. He couldn’t help but smile when he realized it hadn’t been a fluke after all. Maybe Gavin actually liked him. He smiled at him, the adrenaline already surging as they climbed the first hill. He turned his hand over and almost threaded their fingers together but refrained. He’d let Gavin make that move if he truly wanted to.

While Gavin never threaded their fingers together on the ride, he also never let go of his hand, which was at least something. After getting off they were all famished from the adrenaline crash. Plus they’d already been there close to two hours and had only ridden two rides. Best to get the heavier eating out of the way before they got on the more intense coasters.

“I’ll buy,” Gavin said as they approached a vendor. “What do you want?”

“You don’t have to,” Connor mumbled, a blush already dusting his cheeks. Gavin was already acting like a doting boyfriend and they’d only just met. If the rest of the day was going to go like that he would be whipped for sure by the time they got to the ferris wheel. Well, that was if they even made it that far.

“But I want to. Seriously.” Gavin smiled at him, making Connor’s stomach flutter. He really did have the most gorgeous smile. And his canines were super sharp, which made Connor wonder if it would hurt if he ever bit him. The thoughts spiraling out from that made him flush from the tips of his ears down his neck. Why was he already imagining Gavin biting him? Shit. He was already whipped, wasn’t he?

“Alright,” he conceded, hanging his head so his hair fell in front of his eyes. “I’d like a hot dog, fries, and a Coke.”

“Any condiments?”

“Just ketchup and mustard is fine.”

“Coming right up.” He smiled at him one last time as he went up to get in line, Simon and Tina already ahead of him. Connor chose a table closer to the sunshine and leaned against it, scanning the area for the rest of the crew. Markus and Josh were over at a larger table, laughing about something. North was on her way over to him, a smug smile on her face.

“So, he doesn’t have a boyfriend,” she said as she settled in beside Connor, “and he’s attracted to men, and he’s buying you lunch.”

“Still doesn’t mean anything,” he grumbled, his cheeks already hot.

“Stop being such a pessimist, Con,” she chastised him, gently swatting at his arm. “And let go. You’re going to give yourself a bruise again.”

“Oh. Sorry.” He let go of his arm, unaware that he had been gripping it so tightly again. North ran her hand over his arm, helping get the blood flow started again, making his fingers tingle.

“Now aren’t you glad Kara couldn’t come, Con?” she asked, gently poking him in the stomach. “Cuz if she had you wouldn’t have met your dream top.”

“Oh my god, North, please stop,” he groaned, burying his face in his hands. He was glad Gavin had gone to get the food so he didn’t have to overhear North’s dirty commentary.

“We might even be able to change the hashtag, Con,” she pointed out. “Something like #connorgotaboyfriend.”

“2K25,” he grumbled begrudgingly. She laughed and nudged her shoulder against his, wrapping her arms around his as she gave it a quick squeeze.  

“I swear to you I’m gonna get him to kiss you by the end of the day,” she whispered. “At the top of the ferris wheel. At night. So everything is all lit up and romantic.”

“That’s such a cliché though, North,” he groaned. “And way too much like _Love, Simon_. What if he isn’t into that?”

“Well, then you’d better find out, lover boy,” she cooed, making him blush. “Cuz here he comes.” She squeezed his arm one more time before walking away, joining Tina in line.

“Hey,” Gavin said as he approached, food in one hand and drink tray in another.

“Hey,” Connor mumbled, blushing as he smiled at him. “Thanks for… you know… this.” He gestured at the food as Gavin set it down. “You really didn’t have to.”

“It was my treat. Seriously.” He smiled at Connor and pushed a plate of food over. “I don’t mind.”

“OK,” Connor mumbled, taking a hot dog and the pop Gavin had gotten him. There was also a plate of nachos covered in fluorescent orange cheese, but he refused to touch those. He didn’t trust food that was so unnaturally colored.

“So, you guys said you were from Ann Arbor?” Gavin said after a moment, taking a sip of his own drink. “You go to U of M?”

“Yeah,” Connor said, grateful for something to talk about. “We all live together in an apartment. And we all study different stuff, so our schedules almost never line up. Except for trips to Cedar Point. We make those work no matter what.”

“You come here often then?”

“Usually only twice a year. Sometimes three if we want to come on opening day.” He grabbed a fry and dipped it in some ketchup before popping it in his mouth. “Next up is the Halloweekend trip sponsored by the school.”

“Oh, hell yeah! Those are always so much fun.” Gavin grinned and shook his head. “Only downer is that Chris can’t come since he isn’t a student yet.”

“Yeah. I had wanted to bring my brother my first year here, but he goes to Central.”

“Well, that sucks.”

“Yeah, Nines was pretty bummed too when he found out we went on different weekends.”

“‘Nines?’” Gavin ate a fry and cocked his head to the side, brow furrowed.

“Oh. Sorry. Stupid nickname.” Connor blushed and drank more Coke before continuing. “His real name’s Richard, but I call him Nines because he was born in 1999. A lotta nines, so, you know…” He cleared his throat and ate more fries, feeling like he was a rambling idiot.

“Makes sense,” Gavin said with a shrug. “I just call my brother an asshole.” Connor snorted, his embarrassment forgotten. “So, how come your brother isn’t here now? Could he not make it?”

“He’s studying abroad,” Connor said, trying to keep the jealousy out of his voice. “In Italy.”

“Oh, yeah? Italy’s nice this time of year,” Gavin said, humming softly. Connor blinked and looked at him. Gavin was a world traveler?

“You’ve been?”

“A fair few times, yeah.” He groaned and stretched, his t-shirt riding up and exposing a patch of skin just above his belt. Connor sucked in a breath through his nose and shoved his hot dog in his mouth to stop himself from blurting out something inappropriate.

“Family’s Italian,” Gavin explained after he adjusted his shirt. “Grandparents own a vineyard, so we always get some authentic Italian wine to bring home.”

“Yeah. Cool. Awesome,” Connor stuttered, his brain still fixating on the little bit of Gavin’s stomach.

“Hey. Um… you’ve got something just there.” Connor froze when he felt Gavin’s thumb gently drag down the corner of his mouth, wiping away the bit of ketchup or mustard that he had undoubtedly smeared there. His thumb dragged along his bottom lip a bit, pulling it down before pulling away. Then the bastard had the audacity to stick his thumb in his mouth and lick it clean. Connor’s face had to be as red as a fucking lobster by now. He was absolutely done for.

“Th-thanks,” he stammered, arms shaking as he tried not to crush his hot dog in his hands.

“No problem.” Gavin winked before digging in to his nachos. Connor stood there in silence, trying to force himself to remember to eat so he wasn’t just standing there like a fucking idiot.

“So, what do you study?” Gavin asked after a moment, wiping some cheese off his bottom lip. Connor tracked the movement as he stuck his thumb back in his mouth, licking it clean. His face was starting to feel less hot as his blood traveled to another area entirely.

“Huh?” He blinked and forced himself to look away from Gavin’s lips, right into his gorgeous eyes.

“At Michigan? What do you study?”

“Oh. Um… Markus is an art major and Simon is a mechanical engineer,” he said on reflex. “Josh wants to be a teacher and North’s going into social media, specifically public relations.”

“That’s cool, but I didn’t ask about your friends.” Gavin placed his hand over Connor’s on the table and gave it a soft squeeze, running his thumb over his knuckles. “I asked about you.”

“Oh.” Connor’s cheeks finally warmed up again, meaning the blood was at least coming back to his head and not other parts of his body. “I’m, um… I’m studying molecular biology.”

“Really?” Gavin grinned, impressed. “What for?”

“I want to be a CSI technician,” Connor explained. “I always loved the show growing up. But then Grissom left and it was never the same. Plus, I like crime-solving, but, like, the science side of it? I like being able to prove someone did something with indisputable evidence, you know?”

“Yeah, I do. Cuz I’m studying criminology.” Connor looked up at that, eyes wide.

“Really?” He grinned and squeezed Gavin’s hand, overjoyed. “You want to be a cop?”

“Detective or Lieutenant if I can, maybe even captain of a precinct. But yeah, I wanna be a cop.”

“That’s so cool! Maybe we’d be able to work together?”

“Maybe.” He stole one of Connor’s fries and popped it in his mouth. Connor, without thinking, retaliated by snatching a nacho and biting into it. As soon as the fake cheese touched his tongue he regretted everything.

He gagged and turned away from Gavin to spit the cheese and nacho on the ground, coughing violently. Gavin was by his side in an instant, unsure if he should be laughing or concerned. He had a hand on Connor’s back and his Coke in another, holding it out to him. Connor accepted and took a long drink, needing to wash away the taste of the plastic.

“Thanks,” he choked out after a minute. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Gavin assured him, still rubbing his back. Connor stood up and leaned against the table again, but Gavin’s hand remained on his shoulder. “You alright?”

“Yeah,” he mumbled, cheeks flushed from embarrassment. “I just… I don’t know why I did that. I hate the fake cheese they use at places like this.”

“Oh. Yeah. Understandable,” Gavin laughed, squeezing Connor’s shoulder. “My taste buds died a long time ago, so it just doesn’t affect me anymore.” Connor snorted and took another drink of Coke, his taste buds coming back after being coated in pop.

“Everything alright over here?” North asked, coming over with her food and drink.

“Yeah,” Connor mumbled, blushing again. “Just… bad food.”

North eyed the nachos on the table and groaned, shaking her head. “Oh my god, did Connor eat fake cheese again?”

“He stole my fry first!” Connor complained just as Gavin asked, “Again?”

“I don’t care who did it first, Con! Stop eating fake cheese!”

“Sorry,” he grumbled, resting his chin in his hand as he leant on the table. Gavin just laughed, his hand sliding down Connor’s arm to rest at his elbow. Connor’s entire arm tingled at the feeling of his fingers sliding down his skin.

“It’s far too easy to get you to blush, Con,” Gavin said around a laugh, gently poking him in the ribs. “It’s cute.” Connor cleared his throat and looked down at the food still on his plate, ignoring North’s smug look.

“Well, I’ll leave you two to it,” she said with a wink, bouncing away to join the others at their table. Why had they let him and Gavin sneak away so easily? What if he actually ended up being a serial killer? Connor gulped and drank some more Coke to settle his stomach.

“You wanna go over and join them?” Gavin asked, seeming to read his mind. Connor paused and looked over at his friends and Gavin’s. They all seemed to be getting along really well, which eased Connor’s illogical worries about Gavin being a serial killer.

“Con?” Connor blinked and looked over at Gavin, his heart skipping a beat when he caught his eye. “You wanna go?” He gestured at the other table again.

“Oh. No. I… I’m fine here… with you.” He blushed again and turned his face away as Gavin laughed.

“Alright.” He smiled and rested his arm along Connor’s while they ate. Connor kept stealing glances at him, taking in his profile. The scar he’d noticed earlier looked more prominent in the sunlight. And it definitely extended away from his nose and into his jaw, ending just below his earlobe. He desperately wanted to ask, but a scar like that probably came with a tragic story. There was no way Gavin would open up to him after only a couple of hours.

“So, um… how’d you get that?” Connor asked against his better judgment, his curiosity winning over his common sense. He pointed to his own nose even though he knew Gavin would know what he was asking about.

“Oh.” Gavin frowned and subconsciously rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Got in a fight. Met the worse half of a broken bottle after it was smashed over my head.” Connor winced, regretting asking.

“Sorry,” he whispered, staring down at his fries.

“It’s fine, I guess,” Gavin mumbled. “I won though, so I suppose it’s not all bad.” Gavin shrugged but didn’t move away, taking a long drink of his Coke. Connor could tell there was a lot more to its backstory, but he didn't want to pry. So he let it go and worked on finishing his meal.

They shared sidelong glances after that, not really speaking but just enjoying the other’s company. At least until Chris came bounding over demanding they ride the Rougarou. Gavin laughed and let himself be pulled away, Connor following him after throwing away their food wrappers.

The rest of the day went about as well as Connor hoped it would. North and Tina forced him and Gavin to sit next to each other at every opportunity, even when they weren’t on rides. North or Tina was always there when they went to buy more drinks or stopped at one of the various carnival games or stopped at a vendor to buy ice cream or Dippin’ Dots. Connor finally asked North to stop because if he wanted to seduce Gavin he could damn well do it himself without her interference. She had laughed and scampered away, grabbing Tina’s arm and dragging her toward another ride.

It wasn’t until Connor had left to get beer that he found himself without Gavin at his side for the first time all day. He looked around and spotted him perched on a bench in the smoking section across the walkway. Gavin waved at him sheepishly and hung his head, his hair flopping in front of his face. Connor strolled right up to him after getting their drinks and sat next to him, setting the beer down on the table.

“You don’t mind this?” Gavin asked, holding up his cigarette.

“No. Cuz I do it too,” Connor answered, taking a deep gulp of his beer. “Well, I used to. But I switched to vaping to try and quit.”

“And has it worked?”

“God, no,” he scoffed. He gingerly plucked Gavin’s cigarette out of his hand and took a deep drag, exhaling with a sigh of relief. He could feel Gavin’s eyes on him, probably mad that he’d snatched his stuff without asking, but when he peered at him out of the corner of his eye he didn’t see anger but _hunger_ in Gavin’s gaze. He gulped and looked away, still holding the cigarette between his fingers as he took another long drink. He heard a lighter flick on beside him, Gavin having lit another cigarette to break the tension.

“Connor!” He groaned when he heard North’s disapproving voice shout at him. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?!”

“What does it fucking look like?” he shot back, taking an obvious deep drag to spite her.

“It looks like you’re killing yourself is what it looks like!”

“Everyone’s gotta die of something!” He scowled as she stormed forward, finishing the cigarette before she could snatch it away. “I’m a big boy, North. I can make bad decisions all on my own.”

“Yeah, clearly.” She scowled at Gavin, who was still smoking and looking quite guilty. “Please, don’t encourage him.”

“Hey, he took it from me before I could stop him,” he said, holding his hands up in surrender.

“Still.” She sniffed and almost coughed, the smoke getting to her. “Anyway, we were going to ride the Valravn. So hurry up and finish here so we can go.”

“Sure thing, North.” Connor waved her off and finished his beer.

“Can I have another?” he asked once she was gone.

“You sure?”

“Absolutely.”

“Your bodyguard won’t beat me up?”

“I won’t let her touch you.” He placed his hand on Gavin’s knee and gave it a squeeze, smiling reassuringly at him. Gavin laughed and gave in, passing him the pack and a lighter. He thanked him profusely as he lit one more, the tension in his body draining as the nicotine did its work.

“Thanks again,” he said as he passed the pack back.

“It’s no problem.” Gavin smiled at him and nudged him with his shoulder. “Just one more thing we have in common, eh?” Connor laughed and leaned into him, enjoying his warmth and the solidity of his body against his own. Gavin pressed back against him and hummed.

Connor was elated when Gavin took his hand after they finished their cigarettes. He just took it like it was the most natural thing in the world to do and stood up, leading him back to the group. North, despite being angry at him for smoking again, looked absolutely beside herself at the sight of them. She and Tina whispered to each other and scampered off to get in line, giggling like schoolgirls. Connor blushed but didn’t let go of Gavin. Gavin even pulled him a little closer so their arms were pressed together. Markus and Simon waved at them as they got in line behind them, faux swooning and laughing at Connor’s flushed face.

“Sorry about them,” he mumbled in apology, looking down at their hands. “They’re just… it’s been a while.”

“Since what?” Gavin asked softly, trying to catch Connor’s eye.

“Since… since I’ve had anyone,” he whispered, refusing to look at him. “In any capacity.”

“Oh.” Gavin blushed and stood up taller but didn’t let go of Connor’s hand. “Well, what are friends for other than to tease you about the people you like, right? Tina and Chris are no doubt doing the same thing right now.”

That got Connor to look up, releasing his hold on his bicep. Gavin liked him. He’d actually said it aloud. There was _verbal confirmation_ that a guy liked him. He couldn’t stop the idiotic grin or the even more idiotic giggle from spilling forth. Gavin smiled and laughed too, squeezing his hand. Connor decided to make the bold move and laced their fingers together, squeezing back. Gavin blushed and leant against him. Connor sighed and grinned, silently thanking whatever deity or deities that might be out there for bringing them together.

The rest of the day seemed to go by in a blur. They rode every ride they could, Gavin won him a few stuffed animals at the carnival games (he was a surprisingly good shot), they ate ice cream and hot dogs, they played games in the arcade and won a few more prizes, and Gavin never let go of his hand unless he absolutely had to. And even if he did, he always took it right back.

When 10 PM hit Connor almost couldn’t believe it. They had officially been at the park all day and they had two hours to kill until it closed. After exchanging numbers and setting up a group chat, everyone had kind of gone their separate ways to ride the last few rides they wanted. They planned on meeting up near the park exit closer to midnight to say their goodbyes, which Connor was certainly _not_ looking forward to.

At least the lines were all significantly shorter now, the families with small children having left to put the little cretins to bed. Connor took a sip of his beer and looked around, taking stock of the people around him. Only the childless adults and college students seemed to remain. The giant snake and fluffy Saint Bernard dog Gavin had won for him were resting on the table by their food, as were the various other prizes they’d won at the arcade as well as their souvenir ride photos and keychains. He was so excited to put it with his apartment keys so he could see Gavin every day. He still couldn’t believe he’d hit the single rider jackpot.

“You alright?” Gavin asked, gently poking his shoe with his own. Connor blinked and sat back, taking his drink with him. Gavin took a drag from his cigarette, Connor watching raptly as the embers lit and died with his breath. He held his hand out and Gavin passed it over, letting him take a drag.

“Fine,” he said after he blew out the smoke. “Just thinking.”

“About what?” Gavin took the cigarette back and took a drink of beer, smiling over the rim of his cup.

“About how different this day could have gone if we hadn’t been paired up,” he admitted, his knee pressing against Gavin’s thigh. They had grown much more comfortable around each other in the hours they’d spent together. Gavin had even let Connor sit on his lap a few times when they were in the smoking sections depending on how much seating was available. The only reason they weren’t now was because there something about the nighttime that just made everything seem more intimate, and Connor still wasn’t sure how far Gavin wanted to take their flirtation.

“And how North and Tina seem to be getting along like a house on fire in a volcano,” he added after a moment of silence. Gavin snorted into his drink, some beer flying out and hitting him in the face. Connor laughed too and reached out to wipe some droplets off his cheek, licking his fingers clean.

“Yeah, they certainly seem to be doing about as well as we are,” Gavin said, grinning up at Connor, making him blush. “So, I take it North’s bi or pan too?”

“Huh?” Connor stared at him, brows drawn, and Gavin returned his confusion.

“She said earlier that her ex was subtweeting about her?” he clarified, raising his brows at him. Connor gulped and chuckled nervously.

“Um… about that…” He blushed and looked away, taking a big gulp of his beer. “She only said that to see if you were into men.”

“Wait. Seriously?” He laughed and shook his head, lighting another cigarette. “Of fucking course she is. Makes sense why Tina flocked to her so quickly.” He turned to Connor and smiled. “She’s a raging lesbian.”

“Oh, cool, so’s North.” He laughed and leaned back against the bench. “They’ve been gunning for us from the start,” he murmured. “They were probably plotting to get us to sit together before we even saw each other in line. Looks like their excitement made them bond pretty deep too.”

“Well, everyone deserves happiness,” Gavin muttered, taking a drag from the cigarette before passing it over. “Even those who think they aren’t worthy.”

Connor frowned as he smoked. Gavin thought he wasn’t worthy of happiness? He reached up and took his hand, giving it a soft squeeze as he pulled his arm over his shoulders. Gavin huffed and squeezed back, threading their fingers together. Gavin had put his plaid shirt on once the sun had gone down and the fabric was soft against Connor’s cheek as he snuggled up against him, resting his head on Gavin’s shoulder. He took one final drag of the cigarette before passing him back what remained.

“You finish it,” Gavin murmured, gently pushing his hand back. “I can always light another.” Connor nodded and took the last few puffs before extinguishing it. He fully pressed himself against Gavin and hummed, closing his eyes. He felt Gavin relax against him, letting his hand go to play with his hair. Connor’s hand felt cold without it, but Gavin’s fingers felt so good sliding through his hair that he wasn’t even that mad about it.

“Start doing that and I might just jump you,” he mumbled teasingly, nuzzling further against him.

“Maybe I want you to,” Gavin whispered, lightly scratching Connor’s scalp. “Maybe I’ve been wanting you to for a while now.” Connor shuddered and just managed to suppress a moan as Gavin continued to play with his hair. That was until Gavin tilted his head back, a small whine escaping against Connor’s wishes. Gavin sucked in a breath and brought his left hand up to Connor's face, tracing his fingers along his jaw. He was going to kiss him. Oh, god, Gavin was going to kiss him. He wanted him to, desperately, but he wanted to do it like all the cheesy teen movies told him it should be done. It also didn’t seem right for their first kiss to be in the smoking section of an amusement park.

“Wait,” he gasped, leaning back and placing a finger against Gavin’s bottom lip. He opened his eyes and looked into Gavin’s. He sat up and gently ran his fingertips down Gavin’s jaw, tilting it up. He smiled at him to let him know he wasn’t having second thoughts, but Gav still looked worried, so he quickly spoke before they kissed each other right then and there.

“Ride the ferris wheel with me?” he asked, biting his bottom lip in anticipation. Gavin visibly relaxed and smiled a big toothy grin.

“Yeah. Alright,” Gavin agreed, sighing in relief. He released his hold on Connor so they could gather their things and head off. Connor swiftly finished his beer before tossing the cup in the recycling. He waited for Gavin to take his hand before they took off, running to the ferris wheel.

The line was short, which meant they got into their car in less than ten minutes. Connor placed their bags and the stuffed animals on the bench across from them. Gavin was already sat down, his arm spread across the bench. Connor gulped and sat next to him, leaning into him. The car wobbled a bit as it traveled up, pausing when they were almost at the top to let other riders on or off.

This was it. It was finally happening. They were on the ferris wheel, it was completely dark, and everything was lit up in the cheesiest romantic way possible. He looked over at Gavin, his heart hammering and his stomach in knots, and it was all over.

Gavin surged forward, one hand cradling Connor’s face while the other gripped his waist, and kissed him deeply. Connor whined and held onto Gavin’s t-shirt, pulling him even closer. His eyes fluttered shut when he heard Gavin moan into his mouth and he felt his tongue slide against his bottom lip. Connor shivered and parted his lips, granting him entry. Gavin practically _growled_ as he slipped his tongue into Connor’s mouth. Connor whimpered and went limp against him, letting him take control. Gavin’s hand slipped into his hair and gently tilted his head back, deepening the kiss. Connor shivered as Gavin’s other hand slid beneath his button-up, his thumb gently rubbing against his skin. Connor would have loved to climb onto Gavin’s lap again, but the car was far too small to allow that. Plus he didn’t want to be kicked off the ride for lewd public displays of affection.

They finally pulled away for air but didn’t let go of each other. Connor’s hands slid down Gavin’s torso and rested on his hips, thumbs rubbing against the expanse of skin that had been exposed during their makeout. Gavin huffed a laugh and leaned in again, placing a kiss to Connor’s jaw.

“Been wanting to do that for hours,” Gavin panted, moving up to place small kisses on Connor’s face.

“Fuckin’ same,” Connor whispered, a hand sliding up under Gavin’s shirt and along his stomach. He grinned when he felt him shiver, gasping when Gavin gently nipped his bottom lip. “But I’m kinda glad it happened like this.”

“Only downside is we coulda been doing this through the whole park if we’d done it earlier.”

“Well, there’s always the Halloweekend trip.”

“Oh.” Gavin gasped, a sly grin spreading across his lips. “Fair point.”

“And the drive out here and back,” Connor added, his thumb sliding across Gavin’s bottom lip.

“You’re making very valid points, Con,” Gavin purred, leaning in to kiss him again. Connor hummed and draped his arms over Gavin’s shoulders, his eyes closing again.

“Good,” he murmured when they parted for air. “I was hoping to convince you. Plus, we can see each other on campus now.”

“And go get coffee at Jericho,” Gavin added. He smiled and pressed his forehead against Connor’s, humming softly. “And makeout in the bathroom after.”

“I’d like that,” Connor whispered, his fingers idly sliding down Gavin’s cheek.

“Good.” They kissed one final time before reluctantly pulling away. Their ride was about to end and they had to look somewhat presentable before leaving.

“Have a great night, you two,” the aid whispered as she opened the door, smiling warmly at them.

“Thanks. You too,” Connor whispered back. They walked off hand in hand and headed back to the arcade. There was one more thing they had to do.

Gavin pulled the curtain aside and let Connor in to the photobooth first. He slid in after him and made sure to close it tightly, not wanting to be disturbed. They already had a set of goofy photos from their first trip to the arcade, but now that the sexual tension had been dealt with they could finally do the full makeout photoshoot. Connor stuck some quarters into the machine and waited for it to boot up. He already had his legs draped over Gavin’s lap, Gavin’s arm wrapped around his shoulders to hold him steady.

They were kissing again before the program even told them to begin posing. Gavin cradled Connor’s face in his palm, his other arm still wrapped around his shoulders. Connor’s hands were in Gavin’s hair, the soft strands tickling his skin. The flash of the camera made them laugh, which was also captured. Connor pressed his forehead against Gavin’s and sighed happily, a hand sliding out of his hair to rest over his heart. It was beating just as hard as his own, which pleased him to no end knowing he affected Gavin just as much as he did him. The camera flashed once more, capturing the soft moment between them.

“One more,” Connor whispered, already leaning in for another kiss. Gavin hummed and closed his eyes, holding onto Connor like he was the most precious and delicate thing in the world. Connor’s eyes also slipped shut just as the camera took its last photo. Despite that, they continued to hold each other, kissing one another softly as their hands roamed anywhere they could reach.

“Hey, guys?” a male voice said on the other side of the curtain. “I hate to cut you off like this, but the arcade’s closing, so you gotta go.”

“Oh. Sorry,” Connor apologized, his cheeks flushed a deep red. He cleared his throat and moved off Gavin’s lap to stand up. They gathered their prizes and Connor grabbed the photos from the machine before heading to the exit.

“Goodnight, guys,” the staff member said before locking the doors behind them. Gavin took Connor’s hand and led him over to a streetlamp.

“Let me see,” he whispered, reaching out for the photos. Connor handed them over and looked at them over Gavin’s shoulder. They looked so in love already, all soft edges and bright smiles. He couldn't believe they’d only known each other for about 12 hours, because the photos made them look like they’d already been a couple for years. He smiled and took Gavin's hand, squeezing it hard.

“They turned out great,” he whispered.

“They did,” Gavin agreed. He smiled up at Connor and went to hand him the photo strip, but Connor caught his wrist and gently pushed it down.

“You keep that one,” he whispered. “So you can remember that… that you’re worthy.” He sniffed and turned his head away, wiping at his eyes. He hated goodbyes, even if he knew he and Gavin would see each other again.

“Alright,” Gavin whispered. He slipped the strip into one of their bags and took Connor’s hand. “Come on. We should probably meet up with the others.”

“Right. Yeah,” Connor mumbled.

“Hey.” Gavin gently nudged his shoulder as they began to walk, Connor going as slowly as possible to prolong their time together. “Don’t be such a Debbie Downer, Con. This isn’t goodbye.”

“I know,” he pouted, turning his face away. “I just… I guess I’m scared that this is all we’ll get. That you’ll wake up in the morning and regret this.”

“Stop.” He pulled him over to the edge of the walkway and took both his hands in his, squeezing them tight. “Stop that. I’m not going to regret any of this. OK? This has been the greatest day of my life, and I’m going to remember it forever.”

Connor blushed and hung his head. “I’ll remember it forever, too,” he murmured, unable to meet Gavin’s eye. “I had a lot of fun today.”

“Me too, Con.” He pulled him in for a deep kiss, running his fingers through his hair. Connor melted against him, cupping Gavin’s jaw in his free hand.

When they finally broke apart they headed toward the exit, Connor having to fight back his exhaustion. He hadn’t realized how tired he was until they reached the gift shop at the very front of the park. They sat on a bench by the exits, plopping down by a giant Snoopy statue. Connor yawned and rested his head on Gavin’s shoulder again, humming when he draped his arm over him. He sighed and closed his eyes, just planning on resting his eyes for a moment while they waited.

By the time the rest of the group had arrived at the front gates, Connor had fallen asleep. Gavin gently shook him awake and helped him stand, letting Connor lean on him for support. They all stumbled out to the cars and split up for a moment so they could put their souvenirs in their cars. Connor looked around for Gavin to say goodbye one last time, but he wasn’t anywhere near him. It wasn’t until he looked around the SUV that he saw North had pulled him away to stand under a streetlamp, both of them standing with their arms crossed and staring each other down. Connor sighed and rolled his eyes, letting North do her mothering thing.

Gavin came back around the SUV a minute later, looking as calm as ever despite having to endure North’s protectiveness.

“What did she threaten to do to you if you hurt me?” Connor asked knowingly.

“To rip my balls off and throw them in a blender,” he answered, chuckling.

“That’s pretty tame for North’s threats,” Connor mused, looking over at her as she and Tina said their goodbyes.

“She also mentioned something along the lines of ‘treat him like the prince he is, because he deserves nothing less.’” Connor blushed and hid a yawn behind his hand, shaking his head. “I couldn’t have agreed more.”

Connor looked over at North, who was quite obviously watching their exchange, and mouthed, “Thank you.” She grinned and gave him a thumbs up.

“I’ll see you later, Con,” Gavin whispered, placing a soft kiss to his cheek. “How long are you guys gonna be in the area?”

“A couple days,” he mumbled, still not quite awake. “Why?”

“Well, I was wondering if you wanted to go get breakfast tomorrow morning? Or brunch, depending on when we wake up.” He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head, mussing up his hair.

“I’d love that, Gavin,” Connor whispered, pulling him in for another kiss. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“It’s a date.” Connor blushed and hung his head, grinning from ear to ear. A date. An actual date. He couldn’t help but kiss him one last time before he got in the SUV, waving as Gavin walked back to his car. It was parked too far away for him to see it, which meant he’d get to see it when Gavin picked him up for breakfast in the morning.

Markus hopped in the driver’s seat, Simon sitting in the passenger seat. North wedged herself between Josh and Connor in the backseat, typing away on her phone. Connor smiled and looked out the window as they drove across the bridge, heading back to the mainland. His Twitter notification went off as they pulled onto the freeway. He pulled it out and quirked an eyebrow when he saw North had tweeted a few minutes ago. Curious, he opened the notification and felt his stomach clench. It was a picture of him and Gavin at the entrance, him sleeping on his shoulder and Gavin resting his cheek on his head, eyes closed and a soft smile on his face. He held a hand to his mouth and fought back tears as he read the caption:

“Looks like the sign worked! **#connorgotaboyfriend2k25 #JerichoSquad #CedarPoint** ”

He smiled and saved the photo, making it Gavin’s contact photo. The sign _had_ been a fucking sign. He couldn’t believe his luck. He rested his head against the window and smiled, closing his eyes. The day hadn’t gone so bad after all.

-END-

**Author's Note:**

> I can't believe that I was fucking 7.5k words in before the kissing _finally_ started. 😅 
> 
> Connor's park outfit inspired by Jack's outfit from his [Meeting Connor from Detroit in Real Life](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1yl1Oz30_k&t=26s) video.
> 
> Gavin's park outfit inspired by same-side's [art](https://same-side.tumblr.com/post/183984514188/) (and the line about Tina and North getting along like a house on fire in a volcano is also hers, so she gets full credit for that amazing descriptor of their relationship.)
> 
> You can find me on [tumblr](tearstainedashes.tumblr.com) if you want to see what other bullshit I post about other than DBH and Convin.


End file.
